Lincoln – Nebraskans with little cooling this summer can be helped with their bills or the availability of fans if they meet the qualifications for two Department of Health and Human Services programs, according to Thomas Pristow, director of Children and Family Services.

DHHS has partnered with 63 organizations in 38 Nebraska communities to distribute fans to citizens. The recipients of the fans are determined by the organizations that distribute them, Pristow said.

Anyone seeking a fan should call the telephone number of the organization nearest them for more information, he said. (Note to editor: See the list below for offices in your area.)

The fans were purchased with funds from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services administers the funds, he said.

“We expect hundreds of fans will be provided across the state to help individuals and families who are most likely to be affected by the hot weather,” Pristow said. “This is just one of many programs at DHHS that help people live better lives.”

Funds also are available through the DHHS cooling program to assist low-income individuals and families with bill payments, Pristow said. Applications can be requested online at http://www.ACCESSNebraska.ne.gov, or by calling 1-800-383-4278, or any local DHHS office, he said.

To be eligible for funds, a person 70 years of age or older, or a person who is more susceptible to heat because of their medical condition, must live in the household. The limit of a household’s financial resources to qualify for the cooling program is $5,000, and the annual income limits are: